Bridges wins Rep. Seth Moulton’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Massachusetts’ Sixth District
Rep. Seth Moulton has named Fortune Udeh, Kwezi Besiimire, and Kachi Ikekpeazu of Phillips Academy and Phillips Academy Andover as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Massachusetts’s Sixth District. Their app Bridges is a Next.js web app designed to connect communities in Lawrence and Andover by providing a centralized platform for local events.
When asked what inspired the creation of Bridges, the students said, “Attending the college fair at Phillips Academy last year, it was disappointing to see the lack of representation in people of color for an event that could be pivotal for some. As a first-generation immigrant, I am aware that education is one of the primary vehicles for upward mobility in this country. Imagine how many lives would change if opportunities for higher education were provided. The first step toward this is often individual research of the college process, which can be cumbersome in and of itself. With better preparation, families could come to these college fairs equipped with questions, making the experience far more meaningful and productive. All of this and more is possible only if events like these reach such communities. This is why we created Bridges, to even the playing field of opportunity in an accessible way.”
The 2025 Congressional App Challenge marked another record-setting year for the program. A total of 394 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives hosted App Challenges in their congressional districts, the highest level of participation in the program’s history. More than 13,800 students from across the country participated, submitting over 4,600 original apps focused on real-world challenges ranging from health and accessibility to education, sustainability, and civic engagement.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives that encourages middle school and high school students to learn to code, explore computer science, and build practical technology solutions for their communities. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and winning teams are invited to showcase their projects to Members of Congress, staff, and industry leaders at the annual #HouseOfCode celebration on Capitol Hill.
The Challenge is proudly bipartisan and reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to STEM education and preparing the next generation of American innovators for the future workforce. The program is a public-private partnership made possible through funding from the Broadcom Foundation, AWS, Infosys Foundation USA, theCoderSchool, Apple, and others.
The 2026 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.